Making Windows And Linux Share

[ATIWOLF]

OK I basic Need To Get a Windows Xp computer And A Linux Computer Connected to the internet.I consulted THREE people more skilled that I in networking and got these possible solutions.

Family Member: Use a "patch cable" to connect the Xp box to the linux box;The internet would run thru the Xp Box in into the Linux box.

College Professor: Get a HUB and run seperate cables to both computers.(I though hubs could only proccess 1 request at a time and split the connection therefore making it slower?Again, I don't know much)This whould require the purchase of a hub and two very long cat5 cables....Lame

Staples Guy: Just connect this netgear router/firewal to my Dsl modem and l connect both computers to the Router.(I like this one best cuz I want the NAt+SPI firewall)But ill need a long cat5 cable.,,
Heres a Diagram of my house:

What the best Option to Get the job done without slowing things down or going wirele$$ .Im sure ill need like a 50 foot cat5 cable to get them connected. Any help will be apreciated.....thx

 

[brw02005]

Well at 50' you might want to do wireless. OK It's about $10-$20 for the wired router then you need a 50 ft cable which will prolly run you at least another $20 or more. You really might as well go wireless. Pick up a budget Dlink for like $40 at circuit city or for like $5 more BUFFALO WHR-G125 on newegg and flash it with DD-WRT (slightly more range and more options but worse close range throughput).

You didn't say your linux distro but just pick up a cheap atheros adapter for $25-$30 (I use the super g ones with a DI-634M router). Oh for super g or turbo mode you have to set your router to static turbo (prevents anything not atheros from connecting) and check madwifi to make sure your adapter supports and do some configuring in linux (so maybe stick to regular g). I've used them in both ubuntu and fedora. Ubuntu works out of the box with wpa encryption fedora you'll prolly have to yum in some madwifi packages but I don't remember it being too bad (for regular g).

Since the windows computer is already next to the internet you can just hard wire it from the router. I know it will cost you an extra $20 def worth it if you ever get a notebook. Should give you about 15 mbps of throughput with dlink super g router and maybe like 12 mbps with regular g depending on how bad your wall is for signal loss. I severely doubt that is slower than your dsl internet.

 

[ATIWOLF]

Thanks for the advice man!
I'm using The watered down version of ubuntu: xubuntu Been using it three days now and its alright.
.
I went to walmart and saw a nice little wirelessG router for 40+ bucks, An i think i'd only have to buy one adapter if i got that since the diagram on the back had you connecting the desktop directly to the router. The extra adapter was like 30+ so I guess thats about the same as Getting the 32 dollar cat5 cable and a 44 dollar router.
Before i go trying to see if ubuntu works with a wireless router i better try and fix the problem im having with getting linux to download these updates

 

[brw02005]

Yeah sometimes the servers for Ubuntu updates are kind of flaky. Keep trying it should work (I think it's probably a good sign for linux that there outgrowing there servers). Hope you pick up a compatable adapter although there's probably a walkthrough somewhere to get it to work if you didn't buy one with an atheros chipset.